Hounds split with Riverhawks

February 15, 2009

Eastern New Mexico University’s baseball team got off to a good start
in Lone Star Conference play over the weekend. The Greyhounds fell
short in their bid to make it a great start.

Northeastern State
shortstop Blake Neighbors hit a go-ahead, two-run single in the top of
the ninth and the RiverHawks pulled out the finale of the four-game
series 10-7 on Saturday at Greyhound Field.

Still, the Greyhounds won three games in the series after rallying for a 10-5 win in the opener.

The
Hounds (7-3, 3-1 LSC) came from behind in each of their wins in the
series, and rallied back again in the finale. This time, though, they
couldn’t hold off the RiverHawks (5-5, 1-3).

ENMU took a 7-6
lead with two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but the RiverHawks
tied it in the eighth on Matt Smith’s RBI double to right-center.

In
the ninth, Matt Huggard singled and went to third on a single by
pinch-hitter Michael Houser, who advanced to second on the throw to
third. Neighbors then singled through the left side to put the
RiverHawks ahead 9-7.

Neighbors advanced to second on an error on the play and scored on Joel Eusebio’s double to left-center.

The RiverHawks finished with 18 hits in the game, led
by catcher Chris Sprick and first baseman Taylor Clark with three
apiece. Sprick gave Northeastern a 6-4 lead with a three-run homer in
the sixth, while left fielder Eric McKinney also had a solo shot for
the RiverHawks.

Right fielder Jeremy Johnson and third baseman Sean Cruce each went 2-for-4 for ENMU, which had 10 hits.ENMU 10, Northeastern State 5, 1st game — The Hounds rallied for nine runs in their final two at-bats in the seven-inning opener, erasing a 5-1 deficit.

The
Hounds then broke it open in the sixth with Vendrely hitting a two-run
single, Clayton Young adding an RBI groundout and another run scoring
on a wild pitch.

ENMU starter Matt Aragon pitched into and out
of trouble early before wildness did him in. He gave up two hits in
each of the first two innings, but benefitted from two double plays and
a runner caught stealing.

In the fourth, though, he walked four
batters, including designated hitter Brandon Espinal with the bases
loaded. Brett Roberts followed with a sacrifice fly for a 2-0
RiverHawks lead.

Eaton hit an RBI single in the ENMU fourth, but
Northeastern chased Aragon with three runs in the fifth on only two
hits, including an RBI single by Sprick.

Juan Sanchez (1-0) got
two outs in the fifth and picked up the win, while junior Jared Wilson
worked two perfect innings for his first save.

ENMU outhit the
RiverHawks 14-6, led by Carmona with 3-for-3 and a walk and Eaton with
3-for-4. Cruce, Vendrely and Thompson each had two hits.